Nate the Jerk
by Standard-Ang3l
Summary: Nate and Ella get in a fight. Jason and Caitlyn offer words of wisdom while scarring them for life. Sort of.


This is a Natella that angellwings asked for a while back as part of our every-once-in-a-while-but-actually-sort-of-routine fic trade. She wanted something with a Natella fight. So here it is.

* * *

><p>Ella sat at the kitchen table, carefully painting one of the sketches she had labored on for over an hour before finally being happy with it. She set down the big paintbrush and picked up one of the smaller ones just as there was a knock on the door. With a heavy sigh, she got up to answer it. She hoped whoever it was wouldn't stay long. She really needed to finish this sketch and move on to the other unpainted sketches before class tomorrow.<p>

When she opened the door, she almost had to bite back a groan.

"Hey, Nate," she said, forcing a half-hearted smile onto her face. They had been dating a few months, and Nate had been almost obsessive about keeping it quiet, to the point where they never went out in public. She had yelled at him about it and he had recently been making the effort to do things with her in the public eye.

"Ella," Nate said warmly, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. "How was your day?"

"Stressful," she sighed as she sat back down in her chair and picked up her brush again.

"Well, I know what'll fix that," he said, bringing his hand out from behind his back and flourishing two tickets in front of her face.

"What are these?" she asked.

"Huey Lewis & The News tickets for tonight. First row, center," he said proudly. "You don't have to thank me."

Ella gave him a look. "Are you Shane in disguise?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes. "I thought it sounded funny," he said. "Look, I know it's short notice, but the concert starts at nine. You think you can be ready in a few hours so we can get dinner beforehand?"

She shook her head and pointed down at her painting. "I'm sort of busy," she said.

Nate's eyes narrowed. "Painting. You can't go with me to your favorite band's concert because you're _painting_."

"It's for an assignment, Nathaniel," Ella said slowly. "You know, for school? Something normal people do because we're not rock stars?"

"Well, I'm sorry I got famous, _Eleanor_."

"Don't call me Eleanor," Ella said. "I'm very appreciative of the tickets, really, I am. I just can't go tonight. I have five more of these to finish by tomorrow and I won't be able to if I go to a concert with you."

"So you complain about me not doing things in public with you, but then when I give you the chance to, you can't. How is this fair?" he asked.

"Oh god, _don't_ start whining," Ella snapped. "I've already had to deal with immaturity enough today with my stupid model not liking the dress I made, so I really don't want to take it from my boyfriend. Get out and don't come back until you've grown up."

Nate growled and snatched up the tickets he had placed on the table and stuffed them in his pocket. "Fine. I'll just be going. Maybe _Caitlyn_ will want to go with me."

Ella snorted. "Good luck with that. One, she sort of hates Huey Lewis. Two, Jason would beat you down. Three, she really only likes you in a group setting."

"_Good night_, Ella," Nate said coldly before storming out, slamming the door behind him.

Ella let out a long, shuddery sigh before running to the pantry and reaching towards the back of the top shelf. Pulling out a bag of gummy worms, she threw them down on the table and yanked them open. She plowed her way through them as she painted and was shocked to discover by the time she had finished the painting that she had eaten about half the bag.

The door flew open and Caitlyn breezed in, dropping her bag by the door. She pulled a Mountain Dew out of the fridge and chugged two thirds of it before letting out a huge, echoing belch and wiping her mouth. She grinned at Ella before her face fell.

"Okay, what'd Nate do this time?" she asked, hopping up on the table.

"Off the table, Cait," Ella said. "Use a chair like a normal person."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and slid off the table onto a chair. She propped her feet up and took another swig of her Mountain Dew. "So, what did Nate do?" she asked.

Ella crinkled her face up. "He got me Huey Lewis tickets."

"I don't blame you then. That'd be horrendous."

"_Thank you_, Cait," Ella said archly.

"Okay, okay," Caitlyn said. "I'm sorry. So what's the problem? You love Huey Lewis."

Ella pointed down at her paintings. "Six of them. Due tomorrow. Only finished one."

"And the concert's tonight?" Caitlyn asked.

"Yep. And he wanted to get dinner before," Ella said, swishing her brush in the water.

"Man, that sucks. For both of you. He was just trying to do something sweet for the two of you but he picked a really lousy time to do it."

Ella snorted. "He said he'd ask you to it when I backed out."

Caitlyn cackled. "Yeah, like he'd actually do that. One, he knows I hate Huey Lewis. Two, he knows Jason would _kill_ him. He was probably just trying to make you jealous."

"Jason would not _kill_ him…he'd just rough Nate up a bit. Or something."

Caitlyn smiled. "It's the 'or something' I find very attractive."

Ella shook her head. "You and Jason are both absolutely insane."

"That's why we're the perfect couple."

Ella snorted. "You two are disgusting, that's what you are."

Caitlyn grinned and finished her Mountain Dew. "You're just jealous, Ella-Bell."

"Seriously though," Ella said. "What do I do, Caitlyn?"

Caitlyn gave Ella a small smile. "Just wait for him to cool down, I guess. Give him a few hours. Maybe until tomorrow."

Ella pouted. "I don't want to wait that long. I want him to apologize now."

* * *

><p>"Dude, open up! I know you're there. You don't go over to Caitlyn and Ella's til five on Wednesday," Nate said, banging on Jason's door.<p>

"All right, all right," Jason said, opening the door with a snap. "Hold your horses."

Nate snarled and walked into Jason's foyer. "Ella's ridiculous and blew off tickets to Huey Lewis. To paint." He paused and looked at Jason. "You're wearing a towel."

"Congratulations, little brother. You know what a towel is," Jason said, rolling his eyes. "But what were you saying about Ella?"

"I bought tickets to Huey Lewis. For tonight. And she turned them down. To paint dresses."

"Ella is in fashion school, Nate," Jason said. He pulled the towel off his waist to reveal his polka dot boxers.

"Dude. Clothes," Nate said. "Wear them."

"My house. Clothing optional," Jason retorted.

Nate clapped a hand over his eyes. "I've been scarred by mental images now, thanks," he said acidly.

"Get my girlfriend out of your dirty little mind," Jason said warningly.

"I don't think Caitlyn would appreciate hearing you speak of her so possessively, do you?"

Jason gave Nate a look. "At least I don't get into stupid fights with her and try to make her choose between her schoolwork and a date with me."

Nate growled. "I came here for advice. Not for you to shame me."

"My advice is for you to not make Ella feel like a bad girlfriend for choosing to do her homework over going to a concert with you. Did you even think about it from her side of things? Huey Lewis is her favorite band. And you're her boyfriend. But she gave it up to do something she _needed_ to do. How many times have you blown me and Shane off to rewrite a draft of a song?"

"That's…different…songwriting is my career."

Jason sighed heavily and put his head in his hands. "I know you haven't been in a real school since you were like, fourteen or something, but school is a full-time gig for normal people. And since this is college, it's essentially training for _her career_."

"But—"

"Get out," Jason said. "I'm done trying to make you a better human being for today. I need Caity lovin' to get rid of this overwhelming urge to strangle you."

Nate sighed. "Fine. Abandon me for your girlfriend."

"At least I know how to fix it when I make mine mad. And all on my own."

"So you're a good boyfriend. Whatever. Why can't you impart some of that wisdom to me?"

Jason glared at Nate. "You're being a whiny jerk right now, Nathaniel. I hope you get over it and quick. Otherwise you might lose Ella. And while the song fodder it would inspire might do wonders for your career, it'll make you a pain to live with."

Nate blinked up at Jason before a look of horror slowly came over his face. "Oh, God. I'm a horrible human being, aren't I?"

Jason shrugged. "Not all the time. Just on occasion." He pulled a pair of jeans and a shirt out of his hamper on the coffee table and put them on. "By the way, Caitlyn's coming over here tonight. So we don't disturb Ella."

"Why are you even putting on clothes then?" Nate asked.

"Caitlyn likes undressing me."

"I don't want to hear anything out of your mouth ever again" Nate exclaimed, clapping his hands over his ears.

"You asked why I was putting on clothes, dude."

There was a knock at the door and Jason smirked. "I suggest you leave through the other door, little brother. Caitlyn's liable to claw your eyes out."

Nate rolled his eyes and got up from the couch. "Fine."

"Apologize to her, Nate. And be sincere."

Just then, Caitlyn walked in and Nate hid behind Jason's couch.

"H-hi, Caity," Jason said, giving her lips a quick peck.

"Hey there, Hot Lips," she said.

"So, our reservations are for eight. Is that okay with you? Because I can call and move it up some if you want me to."

Caitlyn laughed. "No, eight is fine. It'll give me time to recover from dance class." She flopped down on the couch. "In the meantime, care to fix me a drink, Cabana Boy?"

Jason shook his head. "Sure thing. Usual?"

"Gin and tonic. Lots of gin."

"I'm an enabler," Jason said with a sigh as he got up from the couch.

"You can make yourself whatever you want!" Caitlyn said. "But seriously though. What happened with Nate and Ella? I got a sort of answer from her, but I figure Nate told you his side."

Jason shrugged as he poured tonic water into the glass and tossed in a slice of lime before bringing it back to her. "He was mostly just upset that Ella refused to go with him. He thought she didn't want to spend time with him. Do we really have to talk about this though?" he asked. "Nate was being a big baby. But I straightened him out. Hopefully he'll leave soon and apolo—"

"Nate's _here_?" Caitlyn exclaimed. "Where?"

"N-nowhere, Caity," Jason said.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Jason Allen."

"Behind the couch," he said quietly, taking the glass out of Caitlyn's hand. For everyone's safety.

"We'll have a word about this lying thing later," Caitlyn said dangerously before leaning over the back of the couch and dragging Nate over it.

"You inconsiderate asshole!" she yelled, punching his shoulder.

"Ow!" Nate yelled, flinching and trying to scramble away.

"You jerk! You can't just accept the fact that people have lives of their own that don't involve you! Move on Mr. Rock Star! Get over yourself! You are not the only important thing in Ella's life! You don't see Jason freaking out when I tell him I can't spend time with him."

"Actually—" Jason started.

"Stay out of this!" Caitlyn snapped. "I need to educate Nate." She turned back to Nate and glared. "You are a jerk, you know that?"

"You've said that already," Nate said.

Jason rolled his eyes and grabbed Caitlyn around the waist, pulling her into his lap and pressed a kiss to her neck. She immediately relaxed and Jason grinned triumphantly.

"Sorry, Nate," Caitlyn said softly.

"It's okay, Cait. I know how you are sometimes. I do think you should know though, that I was on my way to see Ella before you dragged me across the couch to pound me."

Jason grinned. "You should leave before my kiss wears off. They usually only last two minutes before I have to resort to taking off my clothes."

"Yeah, I'll leave then. I don't need to see your hairy butt."

"His butt's not hairy!" Caitlyn exclaimed.

"I don't want to know how you know these things!" Nate said, getting up quickly and running out of the house.

"Bye!" Caitlyn said, waving her hand and grinning. She turned to Jason. "So, ten bucks and a new piece of lingerie says Ella's going to the concert tonight."

"You're a junior in college, Caity. Why do you need _more_ lingerie?" Jason asked, tightening his arms around Caitlyn's waist.

She turned in his lap to face him and smiled dangerously. "To drive my wonderful boyfriend absolutely insane."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Right, how could I forget? That's your favorite pastime."

Her grin widened. "You're going shopping with me," she said, raising her brows. "I'm thinking something…comfy this time."

"Comfy?" Jason asked with a frown.

"You don't approve of comfy?" Caitlyn asked.

"Comfy's fine. But I like to walk on the dangerous side."

"I could use a new…teddy…" Caitlyn said shyly. "You like green, don't you?"

"Green is…green is nice."

"Dark green, I think. Like your bedroom walls…"

"Caity…" Jason whined. "Maybe we should get going…"

"It's only eight minutes after seven, Jase. We have plenty of time…"

Jason rolled his eyes. "You are all about instant gratification, aren't you?"

"Not _all_," Caitlyn said with a wink. "Just mostly."

Jason laughed and shook his head before kissing her cheek. "Most people would think this is an incredibly unhealthy relationship, you know."

"They're totally wrong, then. This is the best relationship ever."

"Don't let Nate hear you say that," Jason whispered. "He has to be the best at everything. Even when he's in a fight with his girlfriend."

"Nate can think he's the best at everything, but I know better," Caitlyn said with a grin. "You do things he can't. Like recite _Princess Bride_ line-by-line. And use chopsticks."

He laughed. "That's why I love you. You give the impression you're going to say something dirty and then you say that."

"I have to keep you on your toes in some way, don't I?" she asked.

"In some way? You _always_ keep me on my toes, Lady."

"Only because I love you," she said.

* * *

><p>Nate knocked on Ella and Caitlyn's apartment door. When he got no answer, he rolled his eyes. "El?" he called through the door. "I'm sorry about earlier?"<p>

"Well, I'm sorry you're a jerk!" he heard her yell.

Nate sighed and hit his head against the wall under the sconce. "I really can't take that word anymore, El. I've been called that multiple times already."

"Well, repetition of a word is the best way to learn it!"

Nate sighed. "Jason yelled at me. Like actually yelled at me. It was scary."

"Jason yelled at you…about…me?" Ella asked. She had obviously come to the door because she wasn't yelling anymore.

"Yes. He told me to get out of his house and that I was a jerk and that he was going to strangle me."

"Oh? Was it in his big brother voice?" Ella asked.

"You mean the one that you and Mitchie both find irresistibly attractive for some reason that Shane and I cannot fathom?"

"It's hot because Jason rarely gets like that unless he's getting onto you or Shane for being an ass to me or Mitchie. He's defending us. That's extremely attractive."

"So Jason's the only good Gray boyfriend?" Nate asked. "Thanks, Eleanor. That means a lot to me."

Ella opened the door and glared. "No, you're a good boyfriend too. So's Shane for that matter. But Jason's more mature than you two."

"Jason? More mature? What planet are you from?"

Ella sighed. "He is. You might have this responsible, book-smart thing going on, but you lack people skills. Badly. Jason can talk to people without offending them."

Nate sighed. "So I suck at social interaction. I'm sorry. But I didn't come back here to talk about my brother and how much better he is than me."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Nathaniel, you're not always going to be number one. Get over it."

"Look, Ella. I'm sorry I was a jerk about the concert tickets. I really am. I know I'm not always considerate about things, but I'm trying to be better about it. But I can't do that unless you forgive me. Please?"

Ella crossed her arms. "Is there anything else you want to apologize for?"

Nate paused. "Um…I'm sorry I acted like your classes weren't important. Because they are. I know that. It's just that when you said you couldn't go, I heard you saying you didn't want to spend time with me."

Ella's mouth twitched into a slight smile. "Don't get me wrong, Nate. You're important to me. Really important. But there are other things in my life that are important too."

"I know. And I'm sorry I was trying to make you choose between them like that. I'll work on that part of my personality."

"Really?" Ella asked, a real smile forming on her face this time.

Nate nodded.

"Good," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her level. She looked him in the eyes for a moment before kissing him on the lips.

"So, I'm forgiven then?" he asked.

Ella nodded. "Yes."

Nate slid his arms around Ella's waist. "So, how many paintings do you have left?" he asked.

"About three and a half."

"Do you have enough time to take a break for Chinese food and a movie in a little bit?"

Ella smiled. "Yeah. I could do that. Order the food and I'll try to get this one done before it comes."

"Sure thing," Nate said with a nod, turning to pull out his phone.

Ella grabbed his hand and shook her head. "Nope. Not yet. I can waste a little time," she said with a wink as she pulled him into the apartment.

"Ow," Nate said as his head collided with the door. "I hope injuring me isn't what you're going to waste your time with."

She rolled her eyes. "Big baby. Tell me where it hurts so I can kiss it and make it better."

He smirked and pointed at his mouth. "Right here."

Ella grinned as she stood on her toes to kiss him.


End file.
